US Open - Wednesday Diary

New York, U.S.A.

ATPWorldTour.com takes a look at the news and talking points at the US Open on the first Wednesday.

A Father’s InspirationTwo years ago, as he recovered from wrist surgery, Alexander Bogomolov Jr. spent six days a week making the four-hour round-trip commute from New Jersey to Harlem to oversee the junior clinics at Gotham Tennis. Now the 28 year old is ranked a career-high No. 44, inspired to give professional tennis another shot after finding out he had a baby boy on the way.

“Luckily my fiancée got pregnant at the time,” he said. “I wanted him to see me play tennis or at least have a memory of me being a tennis player, because that’s what I had with my dad. After that, after he was born, I had a second breath. I want to show him how hard work pays off.”

Bogomolov shared his favourite memories of his father, a former Soviet national tennis coach who worked with the likes of Yevgeny Kafelnikov and brought home new racquets, clothing and toys following his travels. “We were playing Nintendo when nobody else had it. He made me sort of cool like in a way in front of the other kids. He was like a local hero, but for me he was my hero, so that made it even more special.

“As far as him working in tennis, I just always listened to what everybody else had to say. Everybody was like afraid of my dad because he was such a hard worker. If you were on his court, you actually achieved something.”

Murray’s Fashion StatementAndy Murray traded in his usual conservative colour scheme for a new kit, consisting of a bold red shirt, black shoes and socks. “Yeah, I liked it. Thought it was quite good,” the Scot assessed. “Normally I’m just in the whites and blues. I think it was all right.”

Luck Of the IrishOne day after Ireland’s Conor Niland retired from his first-round match against World No. 1 Novak Djokovic with a bout of food poisoning, countryman Louk Sorenson was also forced to quit his opener due to cramping.

The 618th-ranked Sorenson had been granted a reprieve when World No. 6 Robin Soderling withdrew prior to their match with a virus, but ultimately conceded a 6-0, 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 decision to Brazilian lucky loser Rogerio Dutra da Silva. “I hit a forehand and suddenly my thumb was cramping, then my legs started to cramp and my left arm, and I had no answer to that,” explained Sorenson. “I don’t know if it was the tension.”

Niland and Sorenson were both making their US Open debuts after winning their three qualifying matches, marking the first time in history that two Irishmen were playing in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament.

Hurricane, Take TwoSpaniards David Ferrer and Juan Carlos Ferrero met Hurricane Irene not just one, but twice, after taking a trip to Puerto Rico with their families prior to the US Open. “We had bad luck because it was the hurricane, and we came back here to New York and the hurricane came back again,” he told ATPWorldTour.com. “I think that Irene loved me.”

Upset Of The DayIvo Karlovic and Frank Moser, competing together in just their second tournament, knocked out top seeds and three-time US Open champions Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 6-4, 2-6, 6-2. It marked the first time the Bryan twins had lost in the first round of a Grand Slam championship since January 2001 at the Australian Open.